Nicky Jam, Iglesias win big at 2016 Billboard Latin Music Awards

Miami, April 29 (IANS) Singers Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias, who delivered the global hit “El Perdón”, were the big winners of the 2016 Billboard Latin Music Awards, collecting six trophies each, including Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event, Airplay Song of the Year, Digital Song of the Year, Streaming Song of the Year and Latin Rhythm Song of the Year.

After thanking god, his genre Latina, Billboard and the people of Colombia and Puerto Rico, Jam gave a shout-out to his father, who he was separated from for much of his childhood. “I never brought home to you a medal from school,” he said. “But here is your medal, Papi.”

Just behind in wins was veteran singer/songwriter Juan Gabriel, a comeback success story who won Tour of the Year and whose album of duets, “Los Duo”, won for Top Latin Album of the Year and Latin Pop Album of the Year. Gabriel also won Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Male and Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, solo, and was honoured with the special Billboard Star Award.

Other top winners of the evening included Romeo Santos, who won Artist of the Year, and Shakira, who won Social Artist of the Year.

The coveted New Artist of the Year award was bittersweet, with honours going to Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho. Although Camacho died in a car accident in February 2015, his band has continued to record and rack up sales.

This 2016 edition of the awards, which were produced by Tony Mojena and aired live on Thursday on the Telemundo network from the BankUnited Center in Miami, was the first to only feature duets and collaborations.

The show included Gabriel performing alongside Paty Cantú, Juanes and Alejandro Fernandez; Daddy Yankee and Don Omar — who both received Billboard’s Leadership award — in their first-ever televised joint performance; and Alejandro Fernandez performing alongside his daughter Camila Fernanez.

Alejandro Fernandez performed “Ciclo sin fin,” the Spanish version of the Lion King’s “Circle of life,” alongside his daughter Camila Fernandez in what was an emotional show of harmony.

Marco Antonio Solís, who received the Billboard Lifetime Achievement Award for his 40 years as a performer, sang his hits with Natalia Jimenez and Marc Anthony.